Using Tesco mailed vouchers for different stock

darbooka

If you're a Tesco ClubCard or BabyClub member and get a mailing with printed non-food vouchers - for example, I recently received mailed vouchers for money off clothing if you buy a minimum amount worth of clothes - I've found this 3 step approach to savings-shangrilla:
Step one: You can buy the clothes along with your other items.
Step two: On another day, take the clothes back with your receipt and recieve refund for the full price of the clothes.
Step three: Enjoy the fact that defacto the discount offered for the clothing has now been applied to the rest of your shop.

In essence this is morally fine. They offer a discount for a purchase and you've complied. Their desire to bolster sales and move stock on particular product line has been satisfied. There's nothing to say you can't change your mind. Heck you might even have really considered keeping the items when you got home - or even while they've stayed in the boot awaiting their return to the store. So enjoy with no hard feelings.
You've earned it! :rotfl:

calleyw

Personally I don't think it is morally or ethically fine.

And to me seem like a lot of hassle to save a few pounds.

I know a lot of stores even Asda at one stage refused to accept back pc/x-box etc games that had been opened for fear of people copying them.

I am all for saving money. And know it is not illegal.

But this does not sit very well with me.

But each to there own.

Yours

Calley

darbooka

Well, it can be a matter of as much as 20% on a purchase and thus more relevant than just a few pounds. Some consumers may view it as kind of like creative financing.
And, obviously if you buy goods with mailed vouchers you still retain the legal and store-policy right of returning the unused item in its original condition within the set time limit. So the question arises, how much should you get back? Why should one lose out on the offered discount just because an item turned out to be unsuitable, undesired or other reason within the proper period of return? If they only credit you the amount of cash you've paid then they should reissue a new voucher like the one that you used so you'll have the chance to use it; but, it seems its more worthwhile for them to take the chance that you will be satisfied with the item rather than somehow reissue a new voucher if you return it. It's a chance and cost that is part of the commercial risk of a big business and is rightfully the risk of the business. There shouldn't be a risk to the consumer that you have one shot to enjoy the discount they offered, and if you return it you lose out not only on the discount but also on the time and expense of buying it and then returning to exchange or return it.

weaver

I love my bargins and use money off coupons at tesco every week, but I think this is wrong. Along with using out of date coupons.

Tesco do not have to accept coupons if you dont buy the product and if you abuse the system by giving out of date coupons they will do what most supermarkets do and only honour them if you buy the product

The same applies to using vouchers they send and then returning the goods (different if they dont fit or are damaged) this is abusing the money off voucher you have been sent as an insentive to purchase for example clothing.

Ok they have made billions in profits but I think they most of the time offer incentives and accept coupons to get our business (it is obviously working)

This is one of those topics which will be debated, but I for one do not think abuse like this is a good money saving tip as it may lead to withdrawal of the incentive offered.

darbooka

Out of date coupons are certainly wrong to use. However, on the rest of the above post I disagree. They might consider it a loss leader like below-cost priced beer or nappies. After all, even if the item was returned it still got people into the store to buy other items on which they assumably earned profit. You needn't commit to keeping an item at the time of purchase. It's common practise for many retailers to encourage you to take the item home and consider it and bring it back within the reasonable time if for any reason its not to your satisfaction. The fact that the store prefers that you don't bring it back is neither here nor there.

MarkyMarkD

Darbooka,

You are very deluded if you believe that this is "morally fine". You are exploiting an offer and NOT complying with its terms. They SHOULD refund you the NET value, not the gross value, when you return the goods.

The fact that they don't, doesn't make it morally acceptable to exploit this IMHO.

lady_noluck

Just remember, if you ruin the offer, you're not just ruining it for yourself Darbooka. That's all I'm saying.

darbooka

lady_noluck, point taken. But I don't see how it is ruining it for anyone.
MarkyMarkD, with respect I think you are wrong. The only terms are that you purchase the specified item type at a minimum value in order to get the money off. There are no indicated terms regarding whether or not you have to keep the item. There are general statutory and store policy provisions regarding the time by which you have to bring it back if you decide to do so.
If the company is bothered by this, which it doesn't seem to be, it can always specify more stringent terms and/or go to the effort of giving you a new voucher if you bring back the item. If the company is sloppy, leaving loopholes, intentionally generous or just being liberal in their interperetation of how things work then its open to anyone to enjoy the benefit of that.
It's still probably easier more profitable for the company than if they were to be stricter or take the effort to reissue vouchers upon item return. And its more bargainous for anyone who does this. So everyone is happy in the end (except for some people responding to the post, it seems).

Addy

I don't think what the OP is suggesting is illegal. Simply exploiting a loophole. Tesco issues a voucher for £x off clothing BUT allows clothing to be returned for a refund if unsuitable.

The main objection voiced seems to be that this is immoral. This site isn't about doing right by the big corporations. To quote Martin

"About the Site

It's about saving money on anything and everything – finding the best deals and beating the system."

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/aboout.phtml

What is this suggestion if not about "beating the system"?

There are plenty of suggestions on this site that could be deemed "immoral".

weaver

I think the main concerns seem to be - if you expoit this tesco will pull the offers.

Example - La redoute & Asos to mention a few.


Just a note-

Remember if you collect clubcard points they can trace your purchases and returns, and may eventually cap the vouchers sent to you. so in theory only the individual abusing the vouchers will be effected

HAPPY_CHRIS

weaver I think you have summarised this thread perfectly;)